I must be getting old and lazy!! I have an oil leak from the engine sump gasket/seal. Has anyone dropped a sump of an NA without removing engine? If so how did you achieve this?
You can do it by dropping the frame and steering rack, not many other ways around it since the oil pickup sits way down low.
how big is the leak? if it's not major, no reason to pull the engine just for that. just clean it up, add a gasket maker and tighten the sump down as the rubber might have shrunk over time.
You can apply Dirko HT sealant around the sump. It cures in about 15 minutes and stays soft/rubbery. Truck mechanics use it. I used it to fix a small leak around one rocker cover on a Subaru XV. It worked. Thoroughly clean the area of oil prior to application.
Yes you can do it, and yes I have done it. Suspend the engine off the shocker towers. Pull The steering rack, cross member, Gear box support brackets. Unbolt sump and reseal. Make sure you replace the rubber wedge seals under the oil pump and rear main.. Took me a good 8 hours from memory...
The less you disturb the less to fault find when you finish. That's why you don't pull the engine if its running OK..